Apparatus for making reinforced fibrous cement sheets



March 12, 1957 MAGNAN! 2,784,650

APPARATUS FOR MAKING REINFORCED FIBROUS CEMENT SHEETS Filed Jan. 25,1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 (2,74 ATTOZ/VFXF INVENTOR. kmkdw MAM a r March 12,1957 A. MAGNANl 2,784,650

APPARATUS FOR MAKING REINFORCED FIBROUS CEMENT SHEETS Filed Jan. 25, 1955 2 ShtS-ShGet 2 ff p ,77

IN V EN TOR 75 F $3M e M2, M @MJ Q United States Patent APPARATUS FORMAKING REINFORCED FIBROUS CEMENT SHEETS Application January 25, 1955,Serial No. 483,862 Claims. (CI. 9240) This invention relates to machinesfor producing reinforced fibrous cement sheets by the formation of aslurry of the material into a web, the deposit of successive groups ofreinforcing elements upon the web for incorporation therein during itsformation, and the severing of the web transversely between the groupsof elements to form sheets. More particularly, the invention isconcerned with a novel mechanism for use in machines of the typereferred to for synchronizing the operation of the depositing andsevering means, so that successive groups of reinforcing elements willbe spaced along the web to permit the web to be severed between them andeach group of elements will be properly centered lengthwise of itssheet.

Machines for producing fibrous cement sheets are well known and atypical machine is illustrated and described in my Patent 2,592,518,issued April 8, 1952. In the patented machine, fibrous cementitiousslurry is discharged through one or more nozzles upon a travelingsuction support and formed into a web, which is dewa-tered as thesupport advances. The traveling web is subsequently cut transverselyinto sheets of the desired length and various cutting devices may beused for the purpose. The cutting device preferred includes a framepivoted to swing lengthwise of the web and carrying knives above andbelow the web. The device is operated at intervals, depending upon thelength of the sheets to be out, and, in each operation of the device,the frame swings in the direction of movement of theweb and the knivesmove together to cut it, after which the knives move apart and the frameswings back to its initial position. The operating means for such acutting device must be adjustable 'tovary the length of the intervalsbetween successive operations of the device in order to vary, the lengthof the sheets produced, and a form of such adjustable operating means isdisclosed in my co-pending application Ser. No. 415,476, now Patent No.2,739,483, filed March 11, 1954.

Reinforced fibrous cement sheets may be made by depositing reinforcingelements upon theweb' for incorporation therein during its formation andmy Patent 2,672,076, issued March 16, 1954, discloses means fordepositing reinforcing elements upon a web. One form of the patentedmachine makes use of reinforcing elements in the form of wires ofindefinite length and draws these wires from a supply, feeds them to theweb, and cuts them off 'at the desired intervals. Another machine for.depositing reinforcing elements upon a fibrous cement web is'disclosedin my co-pending application, Ser. No. 438,536, now Patent No.2,741,955, filed June 22, 1954, and includes electromagnetic devicesoperated in a cycle, in which the devices withdraw from a supply a groupof reinforcing :elements pre-cut to the desired length, deposit theelements upon the web, and then return to their initial positions. Inthe machines of both the patent and the application, the mechanisms fordepositing the reinforcing elements upon the web must operate insynchronisn'i with the cutting device, in order that the web may be cutbetween the successive groups of elements without interference by theelements and the elements of each group will be properly placed withintheir sheet.

Patented Mar. 12, 1957 The present invention is directed to theprovision of a novel mechanism for use in a machine for makingreinforced fibrous cement sheets for synchronizing the operation of themeans for depositing the groups of reinforcing elements upon the web andthe severing device for cutting the web into sheets. The newsynchronizing mechanism is operated in timed relation to the cuttingdevice and it starts the depositing means upon a cycle of operation atintervals corresponding to the intervals between successive operationsof the cutting device. The synchronizing mechanism can be readilymodified to vary the length of the intervals between operations of thedepositing means, as the length of the sheets is changed, and itprovides a close control of the operation of the depositing means.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be made tothe accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a view partly in side elevation and partly in vertical sectionof a machine embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation, with the casing removed, of one formof the new synchronizing mechanism;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view through the synchronizing mechanismtaken at right angles to Fig. 2; and

Figs. 4 and 5 are diagrammatic views showing different forms of meansfor operating the means for depositing the reinforcing elements.

The machine shown in Fig. l is a typical sheet forming machine, andincludes a chain of connected suction boxes 10 guided in upper and lowerhorizontal stretches by pairs of toothed wheels 11a, 11b, wheels 1111being driven through a speed reducing device 12 by a motor 13 to advancethe chain of boxes. The boxes in the upper horizontal stretch rest uponcontinuously evacuated suction chambers 14 and a fabric belt 15encircles the chain of boxes and rests on top of the boxes supported bythe chambers. The boxes and belt provide a travelling suctionsupport,upon which fibrous cementitious material in slurry form may be depositedand formed into a web, which is dewatered as it travels along with thesupport.

The slurry may be discharged through one or more pipes 16 upon thesupport within a stationary frame 17 containing a driven roller 18,which distributes the slurry on the support and forms it into acontinuous layer or web. If desired, the machine may include a secondframe 1'7 containing forming rollers 19, between which additional slurry20 is deposited to form a second layer, which is united with the firstlayer to make up the final web. The

frame 17 and rollers 19 maybe of the construction shown the fibroussheet for incorporation therein during its formation and the depositingmeans are of the construction disclosed in my co-pending applicationSerial No. 438,536, now Patent No. 2,741,955. The elements 22 aresupported in a plurality of receptacles 23, from which a group of theelements may be picked up by electro-magnetic pick-up devices 24 carriedby a plurality of arms 25 mounted on a shaft 26 supported in bearings onframe work 27. Each arm 25 is connected by a link 28 to an arm 29 faston a shaft 30 having an arm 31 connected to one end of the piston rod 32attached to a piston within a fluid-operated cylinder 33. The cylinderis of conventional construction and is operated by a piston valve 34(Fig. 4). The valve controls the admission of pressure fiuid from asupply line 35 to opposite ends of the cylinder through lines 36, 37 andthe valve is movable between two positions, in which it connects thesupply line 35 to line 36 and opens line 37 to the atmosphere or itconnects line 35 to line 37 and opens line 36 to the atmosphere.

3 A roller 38 resting on the travelling support and driven therebydrives a roller 39 through a belt 40 and roller 39 is engageable by aplurality of rollers supported in bell crank levers controlled by links41. The links are operable through slot and pin connections by arms 42on shaft 30 and preferably each link is connected to its pin through aspring, which provides a yielding connection. A plurality of feed tubes43, one for each of the pick-up devices, extend from roller 39downwardly over the top of roller 18 to a pair of rollers, of whichroller 44 is driven through a belt by roller 38 and roller 45 is mountedin swinging arms and held against roller 44 by springs. Beyond rollers44 and 45 are guide tubes 46, which terminate close to the top of thefibrous cement layer formed by roller 18.,

The web leaving the belt 15 and travelling to a table 47 is severed intosheets by a cutting device 48, which comprises a frame 49 pivoted at 50to swing back and forth in the direction of movement of the web. Theframe carries upper and lower knives operable during its movement withthe web to cut the latter, after which the knives are separated and theframe returned to its initialposition. The frame has an arm 51 with aroller 52 bearing on a cam 53 on a shaft 54 in bearings in standards 55.When the shaft makes one revolution, the frame makes a completereciprocation and effects a cut. The shaft is driven through a chain 56by a sprocket wheel 57 on a shaft 58, which is rotated intermittentlythrough a suitable driving device 59 operated by the continuouslyrotating shaft 60 driven by the motor 13 through the speed reducingdevice 12. The driving device 59 may be of the type shown in myco-pending application Serial No. 415,476 and include a ratchet and pawldevice operating at the desired intervals to connect shafts 58 and 60through a one-revolution clutch.

The means for synchronizing the operation of the cutting device 48 andthe reinforcing element depositing means include a shaft 61 carrying asprocket wheel 62 connected by a chain 63 to a sprocket wheel 64 on theshaft 60. Shaft 61 is mounted in suitable fixed bearings 65 and carriesa sprocket wheel 66 connected by a chain 67 to a sprocket wheel 68 on ashaft 69 supported for rotation in bearings in a sleeve 70 carried by afixed upright 71. Shaft 69 has a second sprocket wheel 72, about whichan endless chain 73 is trained to hang down as a loop. In the loop isdisposed a sprocket wheel 74 on a pin 75 mounted in one arm of an anglebracket 76 having its other arm connected to a counter-weight 77 movablein a vertical slot 78 in the upright 71. A switch 79 is mounted on aplate 80, which is angularly movable about sleeve 70 and may be held inthe desired position by a handle 81, which can be turned to pressagainst the fixed plate 82 extending upwardly from the upright 71. Thecasing of the switch has a bushing 83 for a cable 84 containing theconductors forming part of the circuit controlled by the switch.

Switch 79 has an operating button 85 movable by a lever 86 normallyresting upon a bracket 87 and the lever can be swung upward to move thebutton to close the switch by a projection or lug 88 carried by one ofthe links of chain 73. Each time chain 73 makes a circuit, the lug 88closes the switch and, after the lug has passed by lever 86, the switchopens and the button and lever resume their initial positions. In orderto vary the length of the intervals between successive operations of theswitch, chain 73 may be replaced by one of different length. Also, thechain may be shifted relative to sprocket wheel 72 to alter the times,at which successive cycles of operation of the depositing means arestarted, and exact adjustment of the starting times may be made byswinging the plate 80 angularly to change the point in the travel of lug88, at which it engages the switch button. The angular adjustment isfacilitated by the provision of a scale 89 on the plate 82 and a pointer90 on plate 80 for reading the scale.

The mechanism for synchronizing the operation of the cutting anddepositing means may include means for operating the valve 34 ormechanical means replacing cylinder 33 for operating the arms 25 of thereinforcing element depositing means. A form of means for controllingthe operation of cylinder 33 is illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 4as including solenoids 91, 92, which can be alternately energized andact on the stern 34a of valve 34 to move the valve in oppositedirections. The solenoids are connected to a common return line 93 and asupply line 94 is connected to a contact arm 95 lying between terminals96, 97 connected to the respective solenoids 91, 92, the arm being urgedby a spring 98 toward engagement with terminal 96. The position of arm95 is determined by a cam 99 on a shaft 100 driven through gearing 101by a motor 102. One terminal of the motor is connected to the supplyline 94 through a line 103 and the other terminal is connected to line104 having a branch 105 connected to a terminal 106 of asolenoidoperated switch 107 having a second terminal 108 connected tothe return line 93. Line 104 has a second branch connected to a terminal109 engageable by a contact arm 110 urged toward the terminal by aspring 111. Arm 110 is connected to the return line 93 and it is movableaway from terminal 109 by a projection 112a on a disc 112 on shaft 100.

In the operation of the forming machine, switch 85 is closed atintervals depending on the length of chain 73 and each closing of theswitch energizes the solenoid of switch 107, so that terminals 106 and108 are connected. At the end of the preceding cycle of operation of thedepositing means, motor 102 was stopped by the separation of arm 110from terminal 109 by the projection 112a on disc 112 and, when switch107 is closed, the motor circuit including lines 94 and 103 is closedand the motor starts to rotate shaft 100. Rotation of shaft 100 causesthe projection 112a to move away at once from contact arm 110 and thearm is moved by its spring 111 into engagement with contact 109. Asupply circuit through the motor is then established and includes line94, line 103, line 104, contact 109; arm 110, and the common return line93. Accordingly, even though switch 79 and switch 107 are opened, themotor continues to operate until shaft 100 has made a completerevolution and projection 112a on disc 112 has again separated arm 110from contact 109.

The cam 99 has high and low arcs and, when the end of the contact arm 95is in engagement with the high are of the cam, the arm is in engagementwith the contact 97. The supply line 94' is then connected through arm95 and contact 97 to the solenoid 92, which acts to hold the valve inthe position indicated with fluid supplied to the upper end of cylinder33, so that arms 25 are moved clockwise. At the time the motor isstopped, the end of contact arm 95 lies in engagement with the high areon cam 99 close to the end of that arc. When the motor is started, thelow arc of cam 99 quickly comes into engagement with arm 95, so that thearm may be moved by spring 98 against contact 96. Solenoid 91 isthereupon energized and valve 34 is operated to cause fluid to besupplied to the lower end of cylinder 33 and its piston move, so thatarms 25 swing counterclockwise. In such movement of the arms, thepick-up devices 24 enter the receptacles 23 and pick up reinforcingelements 22. At the same time, links 41 are pulled to separate thefriction rollers from rollers 39. As the rotation of shaft 100continues, the high are of cam 99 moves under arm 95 and swings it intoengagement with contact 97, so that solenoid 92 is dc-energized andsolenoid 91 is energized. The valve 34 is then moved to the positionshown in Fig. 4 and the piston rod 32 moves into the cylinder, so thatarms 25 are moved clockwise. The pickup devices then raise thereinforcing elements until the ends of the elements lie in the spacebetween rollers 39 and their associated friction rollers and, shortlythereafter, the movement of arms 25 permits the links to move to causethe friction rollers to grip the ends of the elements between thoserollers and rollers 39. The elements are then fed through tubes 43 andbetween rollers 44 and 45 and through tubes 46 to be laid upon the webbeing formed. When the motor 102 is stopped by movement of contact arm11G away from terminal 169, the disc 99 comes to rest with the contactarm 95 engaging the high are of the cam near the end thereof, so thatthe cycle of operation of the depositing means is complete.

The means for depositing the groups of reinforcing elements may beoperated mechanically under the control of the synchronizing mechanism,if desired, and, for this purpose, the construction illustrated in Fig.may be employed. The mechanical operating means have many.

parts in common with the operating means including the cylinder 33 andsuch parts are marked with the reference characters of Fig. 4 with primemarks added. The mechanical control means includes a motor 102, whichdrives a shaft 100 through gearing 101', and the shaft carries an arm113 connected to an arm 32', which corresponds in function to theelement 32 shown in Fig. 1 and operates shaft 30, by which the arms 25are moved. The motor is supplied with current from a supply line 94'through a line 103 and a return line 104 from the motor has a branchconnected to the return line 93' through the switch 107' operated by asolenoid controlled by switch 79'. Another branch from the return line104 leads to a terminal 109' engageable by a contact arm 110 connectedto the return line 93'. Arm 110' is urged toward engagement withterminal 109 by a spring 111' and is movable away from the terminal by aprojection 1l2'a on a disc 112 on shaft 100.

In the operation of the mechanism illustrated in Fig. 5 the closing ofswitch 79' by a lug on the chain 73 of the synchronizing means closesswitch 107 and completes a circuit from the supply line 94 through line103', the motor 102, return line 104', and switch 107 to the commonreturn line 93', so that the motor is started. The motor was stopped bythe separation of arm 110 from terminal M9 by the projection 112a ondisc 112 and, when shaft 100' is rotated through a small are by motor102, the projection moves away from arm 110' and the arm is moved by itsspring 111' into engagement with termial 109. The motor then continuesto operate, even though switch 107' is opened, since the return line104' is connected through terminal Hi9 and arm 110 to the common returnline 93'.

The synchronizing device described provides simple and accurate controlof the operation of the means for depositing reinforcing elements uponthe web in relation to the operation of the cutting device 48. Thelength of the intervals between successive operations of the cuttingdevice is determined by the length of the chain 73 and can be readilychanged by removing chain 73 and replacing it by another having more orless links. The time of the start of a cycle of operation of thedepositing means can be made by shifting the chain relative to wheel 73and, if necessary, by angularly adjusting plate 80. Such adjustment ofthe starting time of a cycle of the depositing means makes it possibleto insure that the reinforcing elements will be properly positionedrelative to the final sheets cut from the web. The synchronizing meansthus insures that the groups of reinforcing elements will be depositedon the web at the desired intervals and prevents any interference by thereinforcing elements with the action of the cutting mechanism.

I claim:

1. A machine for producing reinforced fibrous cemen titious sheets,which comprises a traveling suction sup port, means for dischargingfibrous cementitious material upon the suppc-'; and forming the materialinto a web, means for depositing groups of reinforcing elements upon theweb for incorporation therein during its formation, means acting once ineach work cycle for severing the web transversely between groups ofreinforcing elements to form sheets, means for actuating the severingmeans at variable intervals to vary the length of the sheets produced ineach work cycle, means for operating the depositing means in cycles, ineach of which the depositing means deposits a single group ofreinforcing elements, the operating means including a motor started byclosing a switch, and means functioning in timed relation to thesevering means for starting the operating means on a cycle, the startingmeans including an element for closing the switch and means for movingthe element in a closed path to close the switch once for each circuitof the path.

2. The machine of claim 1, in which the means for moving the element ina closed path comprises a sprocket wheel and an endless chain driven bythe wheel and the elements is a projection on the chain.

3. The machine of claim 2, in which the sprocket wheel is mounted on ashaft in fixed bearings and the chain hangs down from the wheel in theform of a loop and is kept taut by a second sprocket wheel lying in theloop of the chain and mounted on a pin, from which a counterweight issuspended.

4. The machine of claim 3, in which the counterweight is verticallymovable in guides.

5. The machine of claim 2, in which the sprocket wheel is mounted on ashaft in fixed bearings and the switch is mounted on a plate angularlyadjustable about the shaft as a center to vary the time of operation ofthe switch by the projection on the chain.

6. The machine of claim 1, in which the operating means include afluid-operated cylinder controlled by a valve, which is actuated bymeans including a shaft rotated through a single revolution only by themotor.

7. The machine of claim 6, in which the shaft carries means for openingthe motor circuit once for each revolution of the shaft.

8. The machine of claim 7, in which the valve is actuated to cause thecylinder to move its piston rod in opposite directions by respectivesolenoids, the shaft carries means for causing the solenoids to beenergized in alternation and for part revolutions of the shaft and theshaft also carries means operable once per revolution of the shaft foropening a normally closed switch in the motor circuit to stop the motor,and the starting means operate to close a normally open switch in themotor circuit to start the motor.

9. The machine of claim 1, in which the motor rotates a shaft drivingthe depositing means and carrying means operable once per revolution ofthe shaft to open the motor circuit and stop the motor.

10. In a machine for producing reinforced fibrous cementitious sheetsand having a traveling suction support, means for discharging fibrouscementitious material upon the support and forming the material into aweb, means for depositing groups of reinforcing elements upon the webfor incorporation therein during its formation, and means for severingthe web transversely be tween groups of reinforcing elements to formsheets, the combination of a continuously operating driving shaft, adriven shaft, a speed reducing connection between the shafts, a sprocketwheel mounted on the driven shaft, an endless chain trained about thesprocket wheel and hanging as a loop therefrom, means for holding thechain taut including a second sprocket wheel within the chain andsupported by the loop and a counterweight suspended from the secondsprocket wheel, a projection on the chain, and a switch operable by theprojection once per circuit of the chain.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS862,475 Haywood Aug. 6, 1907 2,518,423 Jennett Aug. 8, 1950 FOREIGNPATENTS 699,529 Great Britain Nov. 11, 1953

